The present invention pertains generally to lighting apparatus. More particularly, the new and useful invention claimed in this document pertains to a system for directing light from a luminaire in a variety of directions to achieve high performance and a number of aesthetic effects. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for providing combinations and permutations of direct and indirect lighting.
Lighting apparatus and fixtures, commonly referred to in the lighting industry as xe2x80x9cluminaires,xe2x80x9d are ubiquitous sources of light in modern industrialized nations both in residential, commercial, and other environments. Luminaires are expected to provide not only effective and energy-efficient radiant energy in the form of light, but also ambiance and aesthetics. Indeed, interior and exterior lighting presents at least two persistent challenges, performance and aesthetics.
The term xe2x80x9cperformancexe2x80x9d means and is concerned with qualitative and quantitative aspects of light and lighting, as well as the flexible capability to direct light where lighting is desired. The term xe2x80x9caestheticsxe2x80x9d includes not only the ambiance provided by a source of light that makes vision possible, but also the sensation aroused by stimulation of visual receptors. Thus, while it may be interesting from an engineering perspective that light is an electromagnetic radiation in wave length ranges that include infrared, visible, ultraviolet light, as well as x-rays, when traveling in a presumed vacuum at a speed of about 186,281 miles per second, and can be seen or sensed by the human eye, a luminaire is expected to present a pleasant appearance, permit adjustable direction of light that contributes to creating a pleasant mood and ambiance, while also providing useful energy-efficient light where desired. Therefore, a lighting fixture, or luminaire, must provide clean lines, appealing proportions in virtually any environment, problem-free installation and alignment, and years of reliable service. A luminaire also must be efficient, and use the least amount of electricity while achieving the highest performance and the best aesthetics.
Efforts to achieve both high performance and superb aesthetics have induced the industry to manufacture luminaire housings from a wide variety of materials. Smooth and textured coatings for luminaires have been provided. Minimal visible hardware components seek to achieve refined architectural design. In addition, luminaires have been designed to provide uniform output of light, free from streaks and striations. A variety of lamps have been developed in response to the demand for different quantities, qualities and colors of light. Accordingly, modern luminaires may use a variety of lamps, including quartz halogen, compact fluorescent, ceramic metal halide, and metal halide lamps. Microprismatic lenses, white or colored defusing lenses, ultraviolet and colored filters, baffled glare shields, cut off visors and similar apparatus have also been introduced into modern luminaires, also in the continuing effort to achieve both performance and aesthetics. Two patents demonstrating exemplary industry efforts to achieve performance and aesthetics include U.S. Pat. No. Des. 396,321, issued Jul. 21, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 396,320, issued Jul. 21, 1998, both issued to one of the co-inventors of the present invention, and assigned to Insight Lighting, Inc.
Considerable efforts also have been devoted to evolving mathematical formulae and calculations to predict lighting performance and aesthetics. One series of formulae, for example, has been developed for determining illumination provided by a particular luminaire when positioned or mounted at a point P1. Cubic illumination at P1 is a function of six illuminances on the faces of a presumed cube, consisting of three opposed pair of illuminances on x, y and z-axes. From such data, an illumination vector E1 (X,Y,Z) may be determined. It is known that 3-dimensional illuminance distribution at any point in space is the sum of two components, the vector component E1 and the symmetric component. The vector component and symmetric component together generate illumination patterns that are variations of light and shade formed on the surface of solid objects that intercept a flow of light. For each object, the illumination pattern is the sum of the effects of these two components. Light, therefore, to those who invent, design and manufacture light and lighting fixtures, or luminaires, is thought of at least in part in terms of light and shade patterns, and the sum of effects generated by the vector and symmetric components. It is the combination of light and shade patterns that are vital to visualize illumination.
Of course, quantification aspects of calculating light also is important. xe2x80x9cQuantificationxe2x80x9d is concerned with the quantity of light produced by a given luminaire. Cubic illumination may be determined either by calculation or by measurement of the six cubic illuminances. Illuminance, however, may be applied to two distinctly different types of lighting problems, namely eye illumination, and object illumination. For example, eye illumination may be considered from the point of view of scalar illuminates, or the average illuminance of a small sphere, which is a simple metric that evaluates both light arriving at the eye from all directions, and which provides an indicator of ambient light level in an illuminated space rather than from the perspective of a horizontal plane illuminance.
Reflection, or the return of light waves from a surface, also has considerable impact on both performance and aesthetics of a luminaire. It is known that an incident beam of light may be reflected, or returned, from a smooth surface as a reflected beam, and that the angle the incident beam makes with an imaginary line called the xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d that is at right angles to the reflection surface equals the angle made by the reflected beam, but on the other side of the normal.
To achieve performance and aesthetics from a luminaire, luminosity also is important. Luminosity is concerned with emitting or reflecting light, usually in the form of a steady, suffused, or glowing light. Reflectance, on the other hand, is concerned with the fraction of the total radiant flux of luminosity that is incident upon a surface that is reflected, and that varies according to the wave length distribution of incident radiation. To determine the quality or quantity of reflectance, the nature of the reflective surface must be known. Some reflective surfaces are specular, having the qualities of a mirror. Orientation of a reflective surface to the source of incident radiation in the form of light also affects reflectance. Diffuse or matte surfaces tend to veil reflections that in turn reduce the range of colors.
Luminance, however, like reflectance, is non-uniform. Furthermore, reflectances are usually demand-set by an architect or interior designer so that lighting or luminance determinations rest on the selection of illuminances. Thus it is clear that altering reflectances in a luminaire will affect performance and aesthetics, those two twin persistent challenges to the inventor and designer of luminaires. In part, these are issues addressed by the present invention.
Conventional luminaires tend to achieve performance without luminosity; or they provide luminosity, but lack performance. In other words, current suggestions for achieving performance and aesthetics from a luminaire solve one problem, but not both. In an indirect luminaire, one from which light is emitted substantially upward or vertically from the luminaire, performance may be achieved in present luminaires without providing fascia glow. Alternatively, in an indirect luminaire, conventional units may provide fascia glow, or luminosity, but unacceptable performance. As used in this document, the term xe2x80x9cfasciaxe2x80x9d generally refers to a variously shaped member that is selected and designed to emit light through the member. Thus, fascia may include a member made from glass, Plexiglas, various plastics, resins. Fascia also may include any material in which a wide variety of voids have been formed to create aesthetic lighting results. Thus, fascia may include trademarks, company names, almost any decorative addition imaginable, that may be etched, painted, or otherwise placed on the fascia member.
Therefore, a previously unaddressed need exists in the industry for a new, useful and improved lighting fixture, or luminaire, and a method for manufacturing such an apparatus, that is capable of achieving performance, fascia luminosity, and aesthetics. Particularly, there is a significant need in the industry for a method and apparatus that provides a luminaire that may be mounted on a wall or ceiling, and that directs light to where a user wants it using novel and unique reflector performances, while also providing direct fascia that provide aesthetically desirable luminosity.
Given the conventional solutions for attempting to solve the problems associated with lighting fixtures, particularly lighting fixtures directed to achieving both performance and aesthetics, it would be desirable, and of considerable advantage, to provide a system for directing light from a luminaire that provides for transmitting substantially indirect lighting from the luminaire, transmitting substantially direct lighting from the luminaire, and emitting substantially luminous direct lighting, all from the same lighting fixture or luminaire.
The present invention provides numerous advantages in connection with such a system for directing light from a luminaire. At least one advantage of the present invention is that it achieves all three objectives of providing a luminaire that transmits substantially indirect lighting, transmits substantially direct lighting, and also includes a fascia for emitting substantially luminous direct lighting. The accomplishment of those three objectives simultaneously by the present invention is referred to in this document as the xe2x80x9cSimultaneous Tripartite Advantagesxe2x80x9d.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the Simultaneous Tripartite Advantages are performed by the luminaire simultaneously.
Still another advantage of the present invention is its capability to use a single source of light, or a lamp, that is removably positionable in the luminaire to provide the Simultaneous Tripartite Advantages.
Yet another advantage of the system for directing light from a luminaire is that a variety of different lamps may be installed in the luminaire to satisfy varying demands for the quality and quantity of light.
Another advantage of the present invention is the ability to etch or otherwise decorate fascia of the apparatus to cast a variety of aesthetically unusual light designs from the luminaire.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is a luminaire, and a method for manufacturing a luminaire, which respectively are easy to use and to practice, and which are cost effective for their intended purposes.
These and other advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing a housing in which a lamp is removably positionable for providing light. A frame connectable to the luminaire is included. A lens is mountable in the frame, and contributes to transmitting substantially indirect lighting from the luminaire. An optical surface is installed in the housing for reflecting light. The optical surface is substantially concave in configuration in the direction from which incident light is received on the optical surface. An opening is formed in the optical surface. The opening in the optical surface is provided for conveying unreflected light toward a multiple surface reflector assembly. The multiple surface reflector assembly is connected to the housing adjacent the opening for reflecting transmitted light. As used in this document, the term xe2x80x9ctransmitted lightxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cunreflected lightxe2x80x9d includes light from the lamp that is not reflected front the optical surface, but instead passes through the opening in the optical surface to the multiple surface reflector assembly. A window may be mounted in the opening for focusing or filtering the transmitted light toward the multiple surface reflector assembly. In addition, a luminous direct fascia is provided. The luminous direct fascia may be slidably engageable or fixed in the housing, and is formed to emit direct light in the form of luminosity. In addition, means are provided that may be connected to the housing for energizing the lamp. Means mountable to the housing are provided for attaching the luminaire to an object, such as the surface of a wall.
It will become apparent to one skilled in the art that the claimed subject matter as a whole, including the structure of the apparatus, and the cooperation of the elements of the apparatus, combine to result in a number of unexpected advantages and utilities. The advantages and objects of the present invention, and features of such a system for directing light from a luminaire, will become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the accompanying following description, drawing figures, and appended claims.
The foregoing has outlined broadly the more important features of the invention to better understand the detailed description which follows, and to better understand the contribution of the present invention to the art. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in application to the details of construction, and to the arrangements of the components, provided in the following description or drawing figures. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed in this disclosure are for purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the conception on which this disclosure is based readily may be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the purposes of the present invention. The claims, therefore, include such equivalent constructions to the extent the equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the abstract associated with this disclosure is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by the claims, nor intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
The novel features of this invention, and the invention itself, both as to structure and operation, are best understood from the accompanying drawing, considered in connection with the accompanying description of the drawing, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: